This invention relates to personal watercraft, and more particularly, to a ventilation system for a personal watercraft.
Seats for personal watercraft generally have elongated configurations for supporting at least one rider in straddle-type fashion. It is typically considered preferable to position the seat along a centerline of the watercraft and arrange the seat such that a rider is positioned proximate the center (relative to both a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction) of the watercraft. This configuration ensures stability of the watercraft (relative to pitch and roll, respectively, of the watercraft) and maintains a weight distribution that enhances performance. As the watercraft skims along the surface of a body of water, only a small rearward portion of the hull remains in contact with the body of water during high-speed travel. A proper weight distribution allows a sufficient surface area of the hull to maintain contact with the water, while minimizing drag due to excessive hull contact with the water. Some personal watercraft may accommodate more than one rider, in which case the respective seat is lengthened or an additional seat is added, such that more than one rider may be positioned on the watercraft, one behind the other.
Personal watercraft typically utilize internal combustion engines for power generation. To maximize space savings, personal watercraft typically have access to an engine compartment or a storage bin under the seat. It is therefore necessary, for this type of design, for the seat to be removable. The seat in this case must allow for easy removal from and secure fastening to the watercraft. Generally, a U-bolt, or the like, is attached to the hull assembly to cooperate with a mating component on one end of the seat. However, the U-bolt increases componentry of the watercraft.
As described above, the engine of a personal watercraft is disposed within the hull assembly, which makes it necessary to provide an air intake through the hull assembly, through which air may flow to the engine. Air intakes for personal watercraft must deter water from entering, while allowing a sufficient volume of air to flow to the engine for proper engine performance.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a more component-efficient seat for a personal watercraft. Further, there also exists a need for a more effective ventilation system.
It is an object of the present invention to meet the need for a more efficient and effective ventilation system. To achieve this object, the present invention provides a watercraft for traveling along the surface of a body of water that includes a hull assembly and an internal combustion engine. The hull assembly includes a bottom portion, or hull, and an upper portion, or deck. The hull assembly has ventilation opening that allows ambient air to flow into the interior of the hull assembly. Additionally, the hull assembly has an exterior surface with one or more portions defining one or more partial air pathways.
The internal combustion engine is mounted within the hull assembly and generates power by combusting a mixture of fuel and air. A propulsion system is operatively connected to the engine and propels the watercraft along the surface of the body of water.
A seat is provided that has a seating surface configured to accommodate at least one rider seated thereon. An interior surface of the seat is configured to engage with the exterior surface of the hull assembly. The interior surface includes one or more portions defining one or more partial air pathways. In the context of this application, this does not only encompass conduits but also encompasses gaps that define air pathways between the seat and exterior surface of the hull assembly.
The seat is mounted on the hull assembly such that the seat covers the ventilation opening of the hull assembly to obstruct water from flowing therein. Furthermore, the seat is mounted on the hull assembly such that the one of more partial air pathways of the seat interior surface and the hull assembly exterior surface are positioned adjacent one another in cooperating relation to form one or more air pathways between the seat and hull assembly. Each of the one or more air pathways have one end open to the atmosphere and an opposite end open to the ventilation opening to enable air to flow between the atmosphere and the ventilation opening between the seat and the hull assembly via the one or more air intake openings.
It is another object of the present invention to meet the need for a more component-efficient seat for a personal watercraft. To meet this object, the present invention provides a personal watercraft for traveling along the surface of a body of water that comprises a hull assembly having a ventilation opening that allows ambient air to flow into the interior of the hull assembly and that has a first interlocking member.
The personal watercraft also includes an internal combustion engine mounted within the hull assembly. The engine is constructed and arranged to generate power by combusting a mixture of fuel and air. A propulsion system is operatively connected to the engine. The propulsion system is constructed and arranged to propel the watercraft along the surface of the body of water using the power generated by the engine.
The personal watercraft further includes a seat having an outer seating surface configured to accommodate at least one rider seated thereon. The seat has a retaining member and a second interlocking member spaced from the retaining member. The seat is mounted on the hull assembly with the seat being retained on the hull assembly by the retaining member being received in the ventilation opening and the first and second interlocking members being engaged in a cooperating interlocked relationship. The at least one of interlocking member is movable to a released position to permit removal of the seat.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.